The last American man to win a Grand Slam was Andy Roddick a staggering 20 years ago. Frances Tiafoe hopes he can end the drought. In fact, he knows he can.
The 26-year-old American hotshot sent Flushing Meadows into a frenzy last September and his star rose.
It’s not enough. He wants more.
‘My goal is to try to win the Grand Slam and get in the top 10,’ Tiafoe exclusively told Dailymail.com from his hotel room in Nice last week.
‘Those are my base goals. I’m really knocking on the door of the top 10. How many I can win? I don’t know. But I know I am capable of winning one.’
Frances Tiafoe has new-found fame and shared a photo with NBA icon LeBron James in April
The American is heading into Sunday’s French Open filled with confidence despite his record
Tiafoe, 26, seen with girlfriend and former NCAA national champion, Ayan Broomfield, 25
For a nation which prides itself on producing tennis talent, the ultimate success in the men’s game has been missing for some years.
Though, there is a wave of excitement that one man can change the US’ prospects. ‘Big Foe’ is now a sports celebrity in his homeland and will be one to watch come Sunday’s French Open.
‘It’s definitely night and day,’ he said. While his new-found fame following the semifinal at the US Open has its pitfalls, the Maryland native is able to stay locked in due to his surroundings.
‘I have a great team around me,’ he said. They keep me grounded, keep me humble.
‘Having people around you that generally care for you is so big, not just people around you that are here because of who you are or who you’re coming. You get a lot of yes people. I think I think as I’ve risen, I’ve tried to cull my circle even less and less and it’s helped me a lot.’
Tennis remains the main focus but what comes with superstardom is more than just healthy ovations inside stadia across the world. There is a pressure and expectation, none more so than internal, but it all adds to the burden resting upon Tiafoe’s shoulders.
‘From a mental point it’s tough,’ he said. ‘Obviously, there’s times where your time is very limited; you’re doing much more, you’re you’re asked to do much more, expectations, people are planning for you to do things, so it’s kind of about keeping clear-headed.’
Tiafoe came to the fore of the tennis world with a run to the semifinals at the US Open last year
The world No. 12 has never gone beyond the second round on the Roland Garros clay courts
The world No. 12 American – who faces No. 92 ranked Serbian, Filip Krajinovic in the first round Sunday – has never got past the second round at Roland Garros. Though, he did perform on clay in Houston last month, picking up his second career ATP title in the process.
‘I’m pretty excited. Coming in with a pretty good mindset this year. Obviously my highest rank, so I’m super excited get over there,’ he said.
Tiafoe was ranked as high as 11th in the world last month. With the likes of clay king Rafael Nadal, Nick Kyrgios and Matteo Berrettini all missing, the tournament is more open for a deeper run for America’s big hope.
After the relative success in New York last summer, Tiafoe lost a tough four-setter to Russia’s Karen Khachanov (No. 20) at the Australian Open in the third round. While the result may have surprised onlookers, Tiafoe doesn’t see each tournament which doesn’t result in a title as an objective failure.
‘The media is so quick to be like “Why’s he not already top five? Why’s he not X, Y, Z?”,’ he said.
Tiafoe pictured relaxing on holiday in November 2022 during the tennis offseason
Ultimately, Tiafoe was defeated at Flushing Meadows in five sets by Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz
‘Sometimes you want to do well, and it didn’t quite work out but, you know, the work stays the same and you know, even if I win a Grand Slam, I still gotta continue to work, if I don’t, we gotta continue to work.’
The demands that come with being one of the tour’s biggest faces provide a reality far from Tiafoe’s impoverished existence after his parents immigrated from Sierra Leone.
‘I want to take care of my family,’ Tiafoe said of his motivations. ‘At times, you want to be a normal guy but then on the flip side you get all the perks of doing well. It’s a Catch-22. It obviously takes an adjustment, that’s for sure.
‘There’s a lot more obligations, then on the flip side just understanding why you did it in the first place. I do it because I love the game, I love being out there, love playing against the best players in the world and seeing what I can do.’
Tiafoe did show he can perform on clay last month, winning the US Clay Court Championship
Despite the external expectation on America’s big hope, Tiafoe’s focus is on filling his own cup
Beyond it all Tiafoe is comfortable with himself, even if there are moments and moods which belie the glamorous life of one of tennis’ premier players.
‘Everybody just assumes that since you’re doing well, everything around you is great — but that’s not necessarily true,’ he said.
‘I’m just me in every in every single way. I’m cool, doing well and what that comes with and I’m cool with not doing things that other people expect me to do and what that comes with.’
Naturally, expectations within the American tennis world are growing but Tiafoe can shut out the clamor.
‘I’m only trying to achieve my expectations of myself,’ he said.
Tiafoe has partnered with BetterHelp, the world’s largest online therapy platform, to give away up to $3M in FREE therapy and increase awareness and access to mental health resources.
